10 Sci-Fi Shows That Feel Like They Were Built for Streaming

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David Duchovny and Gillian Anderson as Fox Mulder and Dana Scully in an office on The X-Files

Published Feb 19, 2026, 3:52 PM EST

Christine is a freelance writer for Collider with two decades of experience covering all types of TV shows and movies spanning every genre. With a particular affinity for dramas, true crime, sitcoms, and thrillers, if it's a top TV show, Christine has likely watched it and is eager to share her thoughts. When she's not furiously writing away, you can find her enjoying the next binge obsession with a glass of wine in front of the TV.

It might feel like streaming has been around forever, but it hasn't. In fact, it has been less than two decades since streaming was introduced and even less since it became mainstream. What did people do before that? Watched TV shows via satellite or cable TV, on standard and premium network channels. These shows spanned every genre, including sci-fi, which has been a huge part of the streaming landscape.

But before streaming services came to be in every home, there were some great sci-fi shows that feel like they were tailor-made for it. Many premiered on traditional network television, a few on specialty channels. Some came out after streaming ruled the roost and felt almost misplaced on network TV. All of these series are available to stream today on one or more of the most popular streaming services, but they didn't originate there.

10 'Orphan Black' (2013–2017)

Two clones, one with straight hair another with dreads, looking at a laptop in Orphan Black.

Orphan Black is a co-production between Canada's Space network and BBC America, and it originally aired on these two networks before it became available to stream. As of this writing, it's on Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, and AMC+. The sci-fi thriller centers on human cloning when Sarah Manning (Tatiana Maslany) comes across a young woman who looks uncannily like her. Through her investigation, she discovers that this isn't the only woman who shares her likeness, nor was she just a doppelgänger.

The intensity, quality, cliffhangers, and performances in Orphan Black make you feel like it's a show you would stream, not one you'd watch on traditional TV during primetime. It's too sophisticated, even a bit edgy, to be a standard network show, even if the lack of budget shows at times. Maslany will leave you in awe at how she plays 17 different clones, five of whom are main characters, so masterfully and convincingly.

9 'The Expanse' (2015–2022)

Wes Chatham as Arnos Burton sitting down looking offscreen in The Expanse.

The proof is in the pudding with The Expanse, which was originally developed for Syfy. It aired there for its first three seasons, after which it was picked up by Amazon Prime Video for three more. Based on the James S. A. Corey novel series, the sci-fi series is about humans living within the Solar System. The story centers around a group of people who try to keep the peace among planets despite a conspiracy, while dealing with the discovery of new alien technology.

While The Expanse only moved to streaming after cancellation, it's right at home on this format, a perfect show to dive into for binging or downloading to watch offline while traveling. With the success of other streaming shows like Star Trek: Discovery, For All Mankind, Foundation, and The Peripheral, The Expanse fits right in and is one of the best sci-fi shows of the last 10 years. It's a visual spectacle with a decent budget and a loyal fanbase that would likely go back and re-watch episodes again and again. That, of course, is something that streaming makes easy.

8 'The X-Files' (1993–2002, 2016–2018)

Dana Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Fox Mulder (David Duchovny) on the job in 'The X-Files' episode "Leonard Betts"

The X-Files would have killed it on streaming had the show launched in the age of this new medium. Alas, it came long before, so it aired on traditional network TV. What's baffling is that it also aired on Fox, not even one of the pay specialty networks (though there weren't many back in the early '90s as there are today). It's likely no one realized just how massive and iconic the sci-fi drama would become, thanks to the compelling stories along with the chemistry between David Duchovny as the conspiracy theory and paranormal-believing FBI agent Fox Mulder and Gillian Anderson as Dana Scully, the medical doctor who initially believed there was a scientific explanation for everything.

The X-Files is one of the best sci-fi shows set on Earth and tells a thematic story with overarching storylines and recurring characters. But it's also sort of like an anthology, with different "monster of the week" cases. The X-Files worked for network TV, but it was far deeper and more complicated and nuanced than most other network shows that were on at the time. Interestingly, The X-Files returned 14 years after it ended for two more seasons and aired on Fox once again. But episodes did stream on Hulu right after, and all seasons are available now to stream on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video.

7 'Fringe' (2008–2013)

Peter Bishop with small cuts on his face speaking to his father Walter Bishop in the Fringe Season 3 finale.

Anna Torv and Joshua Jackson heading up this nearly perfect sci-fi show, along with John Noble and the late Lance Reddick, not to mention J.J. Abrams as a creator, are all reasons why Fringe would have been perfect for streaming. Coming out just when streaming TV was hitting its stride, the series aired on Fox through its entire run.

The story follows members of the newly formed Fringe Division in the FBI that, as the name implies, use fringe science to help them understand the various happenings around them involving a parallel universe. While Fringe has a traditional network procedural feel to it, the show also dives deep into topics like fantasy and mythology. It's one of those cult classic shows that has aged well and would attract viewers both new and old. It's available to stream on Hulu and Amazon Prime Video.

6 'Lost' (2004–2010)

Charlie and Sawyer on the beach with other survivors in 'Lost'

It's easy to forget that Lost aired on ABC, not a streaming service (it came out too early for that), and not even a specialty network. Lost, however, became the biggest show of the 2000s, and continues to be one of the most talked-about sci-fi shows of all time. The series centers around survivors of a plane crash who begin to experience strange happenings on the island, each having unique ordeals that put reality into question.

Lost is perfect for streaming, and it's available now via Hulu and Amazon Prime Video. It's the type of show you want to gather with friends and binge, even now, 16 years after it ended and more than two decades after it began. The complex interweaving stories, the prophetic angles, shocking moments, and scenes that were cause for debate are all intriguing elements of this show. It's a wonderful show to watch again and again, and one that has attracted many latecomers who are only getting on board now.

5 'Counterpart' (2017–2019)

J.K. Simmons looking to the right in a wooded area in Counterpart.

You wouldn't think that a sci-fi thriller that stars J.K. Simmons would be on network TV, but Counterpart was first broadcast on premium cable network Starz. This may be part of why it's one of those sci-fi shows fans feel was canceled too soon. The series follows two versions of Earth: the Alpha world and the Prime world, created in the '80s following a botched experiment in Germany. In the Prime world, a flu pandemic wiped out hundreds of millions of people, and the world was set back technologically, stuck in the '90s. Those who live there believe the people of the Alpha world created and sent that virus. Simmons plays Howard in both worlds, and the two versions of him have very different personalities.

The slow-burning nature of the story makes Counterpart great for streaming, especially to binge-watch and pick up on some of the subtle nuances. It's smart and cerebral, the type of show typically reserved for streaming. Further, its production value has a movie feel to it, which made the show feel underserved on Starz, one of those forgotten sci-fi shows with a high Rotten Tomatoes score. The first season is available to stream now on Amazon Prime Video.

4 'Person of Interest' (2011–2016)

Michael Emerson and Jim Caviezel standing next to each other outside in Person of Interest.

Many fans argue that not only should Person of Interest have launched on a streaming service versus CBS, but also that it's one of the best sci-fi crime dramas of this generation. The Jonathan Nolan series, which counts J.J. Abrams among its producers as well, stars Michael Emerson as Harold Finch, a reclusive billionaire who developed a machine that could predict when a bad act was about to happen. It knew who was involved and could give names, but the machine didn't know who the perpetrator was versus the victim. After stealing The Machine back from the government and going into hiding, Harold hires John Reese (Jim Caviezel), a former special forces soldier and CIA operative, to help him stop these crimes from happening and save lives in the process.

Person of Interest went even deeper than this through its seasons, touching on topics of government control and surveillance, morality, and the cost of the greater good. The depth of the story makes it tailor-made for streaming, especially as the show slowly grew out of the usual procedural format and into a more high-stakes, complex, AI-driven show that could easily keep up with the best of the streaming shows of this genre. Stream Person of Interest now on Amazon Prime Video.

3 'Mr. Robot' (2015–2019)

Rami Malek as Elliot Alderson in 'Mr. Robot'

Mr. Robot is available to stream on Amazon Prime Video, as it has been for some time. But that's not where it started. The psychological techno-thriller about a reclusive, mentally unstable hacker who plots to take down the biggest corporation in the world debuted on USA Network. The mind-bending story takes you on a journey such that you'll want to watch and rewatch seasons to go back and analyze details after big reveals.

The plot is dense, the twists are plenty, and the show is perfect for building suspense but also making you want to sit and spend hours binging episode after episode. It has a high production value as well, along with a talented cast known for their Hollywood movie performances, like Rami Malek, Christian Slater, Grace Gummer, and BD Wong. The serialized narrative screams for streaming, and it remains one of the most unhinged, genre-bending sci-fi shows on television.

2 'Firefly' (2002)

Nathan Fillion posing for the camera on 'Firefly.'

It's a travesty that Firefly, a space Western drama about humans living in a new star system, only lasted a single season. This can largely be chalked up to the fact that it was on network TV (Fox, to be exact) and didn't attract the right audience there. With network TV, the show is on when it's on, and you either watch or DVR it to watch later. DVRs, however, were in their infancy at the time that the show came out. Meanwhile, Firefly is the type of show you'd probably come across while scrolling on title cards via streaming service, watch on a whim, and love. There was no chance for this on network TV.

The show, which hails from Joss Whedon and stars Nathan Fillion, has since become a cult classic now that it's available to stream, further proving the theory that it would have performed well through this medium. At just14 episodes long, it's perfect for binging, too. Firefly is available to stream on both Amazon Prime Video and Hulu.

1 'Dollhouse' (2009–2010)

Eliza Dushku wielding a shard of glass in Dollhouse

Dollhouse is one of those short-lived sci-fi series that fans don't believe got a fair shake. The sci-fi series aired for two seasons and tells the story of an underground organization running secret experiments. They program people to serve as Dolls, where they can be hired by wealthy people to carry out various tasks, whether it's fulfilling a sexual fantasy or robbing a bank.

Dollhouse, which stars Eliza Dushku, was ahead of its time. It might have fared much better by taking advantage of the streaming format rather than being lost in a specific one-hour timeslot once a week. Being on streaming allows for binging and gives fans the chance to find a show like Dollhouse by chance, versus having to already know about it. Discovery is one of the biggest advantages of streaming, and Dollhouse is easily one of those shows that would likely have come out of nowhere and begun trending once people flipped by it and became intrigued by the teaser trailer and premise. It's not a show that was meant to be buried during the primetime hours.